The Food Institute Report articles from November 2003

The Food Institute Report archives from November 2003

USDA revises cost of country-of-origin labeling.
November 3, 2003... Amid heavy lobbying, USDA rolled out some compromise proposals last week for country-of-origin labels for meat, fish, produce and peanuts. Under the proposed rule, a covered commodity can only bear a "United States country of origin"...

Two gourmet firms on the block.
November 3, 2003... Although a deal has not yet been made, Washington, DC food entrepreneur Mark Ordan said he expects to close a sale of local gourmet grocery chain Sutton Place "within a week or two." Sutton Place Gourmet Inc. chief executive Clifford Smith...

Two supermarkets add premium private-label products to their offerings.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Alberstons stores introduced Essensia, a new premium line of entrees, side dishes and desserts, such as Sun-dried Tomato Striped Ravioli with Basil Pesto, Two Meat Lasagna, Beef Short Ribs in a Polynesian Style Sauce, Vegetable Spring Rolls,...

Cheesemaker looks to be national leader in specialty cheese category.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Already established regionally, specialty cheese maker F. Cappiello Dairy Products Inc. is entering the national market, landing a contract to supply Wal-Mart Supercenters and Safeway supermarkets. The company will supply Safeway for the...

Acquisitions are sweet for candy maker.
November 3, 2003... Following a series of acquisitions, Round Lake, MN-based Farley's & Sathers Candy Co.'s sales increased to a quarter of a billion dollars in the past year and a half. The company was once a division of Kraft Foods, but was spun off and is now...

New devices in the works to enhance supermarket shopping.
November 3, 2003... An array of high-tech devices for use in the supermarket industry are being developed with a goal of making a trip to the supermarket more efficient and profitable--and to generate customer loyalty. Among the high-tech machines being developed...

Study suggests private label programs are not fully optimized.
November 3, 2003... Private label consumer packaged goods' (CPG) dollar share across supermarkets, drugstores and mass merchandisers (excluding Wal-Mart) has reached 15% and dollar growth rates have exceeded that of manufacturer brands in nine of the last 10...

Bellevue, WA-based grocer Quality Food Centers Inc. [QFC] is developing a new high-end store format that it hopes will become the prototype for other urban projects.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Bellevue, WA-based grocer QFC is developing a new high-end store format that it hopes will become the prototype for other urban projects. QFC's new Fresh Fare grocery will feature several in-store chefs grilling customers' meats to order,...

Amazon.com Inc.(News In A Minute)(began selling gourmet food on its web store)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Amazon.com Inc. began selling gourmet food on its web store last week. A spokeswoman for the Seattle, WA-based web retailer said the new Gourmet Food store, which features brands such as Omaha Steaks and See's Candies, was launched in beta,...

FreshDirect.com.(News In A Minute)(is entering the kosher market)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * New York-based FreshDirect.com, which has been slowly expanding within New York City, is entering the kosher market, offering custom-cut glatt kosher meats, cold cuts, fish and other kosher groceries, in addition to its regular groceries and...

Dutch food group Wessanen and Wild Oats Markets agreed to terminate a distribution deal.(News In A Minute)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Dutch food group Wessanen and Wild Oats Markets agreed to terminate a distribution deal, denting the Boulder, CO-based organic food chain's third-quarter earnings. Wessanen said its St. Augustine, FL-based Tree of Life unit would no longer be...

Chessie WP Express, a Wolfgang Puck franchise group.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Chessie WP Express, a Wolfgang Puck franchise group, plans a minimum of 15 Wolfgang Puck Express units for the Washington/Baltimore market in five years, but its executives think the area could support as many as 30 locations, says Joe...

McDonald.(News In A Minute)(is testing waffle-fry vending machines that use pre-cooked, frozen fries)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * McDonald's is testing waffle-fry vending machines that use pre-cooked, frozen fries, cooked in hot air rather than oil in 45 seconds for $1.50. McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman said the machines are being tested in a very limited market...

Panera Bread Co.(News In A Minute)(is introducing reloadable debit cards that can be used for food purchases)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Panera Bread Co. is rolling out reloadable debit cards that can be used for food purchases at all its 531 bakery-cafes. The cards, available in denominations from $1 to $200, began arriving in St. Louis, MO stores mid-October and should be in...

Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.(News In A Minute)(will open its first Denver store)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc., Berkeley, CA, will open its first Denver store on Nov. 3. The 72-store chain racked up $104 million in sales last year... The Denver Post (Oct. 29)

Coca-Cola Company.(News In A Minute)(plans to cut 2,800 jobs worldwide)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Coca-Cola Company plans to cut 2,800 jobs worldwide, exceeding initial figures issued earlier this year by 50%. Of the 900 additional jobs to be cut, most are related to cost-cutting at bottlers in Asia. As of Sept. 30, about 1,600 employees...

Flowers Foods.(News In A Minute)(is launching a 13-product snack cake line)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Flowers Foods, Thomasville, GA is launching a 13-product snack cake line under the Tesoritos (Little Treasures) and Pan Dulce de Mi Casa (Sweet Bread from My House) brands, aimed at the Latino and Hispanic markets.

Imperial Sugar Company.(News In A Minute)(introduced a new marketing campaign targeting the Hispanic market for its Dixie Crystals and Imperial Sugar product lines)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Imperial Sugar Company rolled out a new marketing campaign targeting the growing Hispanic market for its Dixie Crystals and Imperial Sugar product lines. The campaign involves new package designs for several of its products, as well as the...

Belovo Inc.(News In A Minute)(is introducing its new "Christopher Eggs" in over 500 Wal-Mart Supercenters)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Belovo Inc. is debuting its new "Christopher Eggs" in over 500 Wal-Mart Supercenters in 13 South Central and Midwestern states. Christopher Eggs come from hens fed a patented all-natural diet. The eggs have over 17 times the level of...

Hidden Villa Ranch.(News In A Minute)(is launching a new fortified egg)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Hidden Villa Ranch is launching a new fortified egg, Gold Circle Farms DHA Omega-3. The Gold Circle Farms eggs are being touted as having the highest level of DHA, approximately 150 milligrams per egg, by utilizing an exclusive process for...

NeXpansion.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Retailers using NeXpansion's "Endless Aisle" e-commerce service spent Oct. 28 trying to determine if there were any options for the web-based company, which shuttered its popular service amid a financial crunch. Big Y posted a disclaimer on...

Cadbury Schweppes.(News In A Minute)(plans to shed 10% of its workforce)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * UK-based Cadbury Schweppes plans to shed 10% of its workforce and close some 20% of its 133 factories by 2007, as part of a four-year plan for cutting costs and driving growth.

ComScore Media Metrix.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Nearly 23 million people--roughly 16% of the net-surfing public--visit food and cooking websites every month, according to ComScore Media Metrix, reviewed TIME.

Coca-Cola Co.(News In A Minute)(introduced Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise, a cholesterol-reducing orange juice)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Coca-Cola Co. rolled out Minute Maid Premium Heart Wise, a cholesterol-reducing orange juice, noted Fox News Channel. The firm expects the drink to be widely available throughout the nation by Thanksgiving.

Kola Real, a low-priced budget cola.(News In A Minute)(Peruvian soda threatens market share of Coke and Pepsi in Latin America)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Kola Real, a low-priced budget cola, "is emerging as an unlikely threat to soft drink giants Coke and Pepsi in Latin America, as the Peruvian soda uses a no-frills approach to woo penny-pinchers," reported a recent issue of The Wall Street...

Dole Food.(News In A Minute)(is planning a $2.2 million upgrade of its Central Oahu pineapple packing plant)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Dole Food is planning a $2.2 million upgrade of its Central Oahu pineapple packing plant. Brian Orlopp, Dole's Hawaii operations general manager, said the aim of the upgrade is to increase efficiency and quality levels... Just-food.com (Oct....

A partnership between Sunkist Growers Inc. and Coastal Berry Co.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * A partnership between Sunkist Growers Inc. and Coastal Berry Co. will result in Sunkist-branded strawberries year-round. The deal will mean significant growth for Coastal under Sunkist's consumer-popular name and a chance for Sunkist to...

Tortilla Industry Association.(News In A Minute)(flat bread's share has grown to 32% of the combined retail and food service market for bread)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * "Tortillas have had steady growth 10 to 15% a year seemingly forever," said Irwin Steinberg, the founding president of the 14-year-old Tortilla Industry Association, in an article in The Star Telegram (Oct. 27). The popularity of wraps has...

Mintel.(News In A Minute)(found that 9 out of 10 Americans like some type of chocolate)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Nine out of 10 Americans like some type of chocolate; two-thirds prefer traditional milk chocolate, 37% like dark chocolate, found Mintel. Males prefer dark chocolates more than females, by some 5%. Seasonal and novelty chocolates are...

The creation of a new food company to manufacture and distribute a line of snack foods has been announced by Bill Elliott.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * The creation of a new food company to manufacture and distribute a line of snack foods has been announced by Bill Elliott, the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion. Elliott Championship Products LLC, a partnership between Bill Elliott and...

ConAgra.(News In A Minute)(is entering India's branded snack food market with corn chips and potato puffs)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * ConAgra is entering India's rapidly expanding branded snack food market with corn chips and potato puffs under its Act II brand. Frito-Lay continues to be the dominant player in the nontraditional snack foods segment in India, with its Uncle...

Biocorp North America, Inc.(News In A Minute)(is now producing 100% compostable cutlery)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... * Biocorp North America, Inc., a leading provider of biodegradable packaging, is now producing 100% compostable cutlery made from corn-based Nature Works PLS, developed by Cargill Dow LLC. The new Nat-ur brand utensils, which look and feel like...

Mergers & acquisitions.(food industry)
November 3, 2003... Apollo Management, L.P. reached an agreement to acquire United Agri Products, the U.S. and Canadian crop inputs business of ConAgra Foods, Inc., Omaha, NE, for about $600 million. This divestiture by ConAgra Foods is its sixth since September...

Latest financial reports (000 omitted).(food companies and others)(Illustration)
November 3, 2003... LATEST FINANCIAL REPORTS (000 omitted) Current % Chge. Year Year Ago BALL CORP. (Broomfield, CO) Qtr. To Sept. 30: Sales $1,359,000 31.0%...

Strategy allows broadliner access to thousands of products.(Robert's Foods works with Dot Foods to offer next-day delivery.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Through an arrangement with Mt. Sterling, IL-based redistributor Dot Foods, broadline distributor Robert's Foods is able to offer its customers next day delivery of almost 25,000 SKUs, even though only 5,500 SKUs are stocked at its warehouse--a...

Meat from cloned livestock and their offspring safe to eat, FDA says.
November 3, 2003... FDA issued an executive summary Oct. 31 saying that it appears safe to eat cloned livestock and their offspring. The release of the summary is the first step the agency must take before it can lift the moratorium it put in place in 2001 on...

You should know ...(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... ... Inconsistent labeling practices continue to put consumers with food allergies at risk, according to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Alliance (FAAA). FAAA began a united effort requesting government and food industry leaders to adopt...

... Picket lines were withdrawn by noon, Oct. 31 at Ralphs stores in Southern California.(Labor News ...)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... ... Picket lines were withdrawn by noon, Oct. 31 at Ralphs stores in Southern California. Supermarket workers will continue to be locked out of their stores by Ralphs management in a nearly month-long regional labor dispute. Instead of...

... About 4,000 unionized grocery store workers from Long Island and parts of New York City continued to work without contracts.(Labor News ...)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... ... About 4,000 unionized grocery store workers from Long Island and parts of New York City continued to work without contracts Oct. 30, as negotiators tried to resolve differences over health care benefits. A spokesman for Local 342 of the...

... In New York City, about 800 waiters, cooks and other workers at some of the city's fanciest restaurants are threatening to strike.(.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... ... In New York City, about 800 waiters, cooks and other workers at some of the city's fanciest restaurants are threatening to strike if they do not reach a contract by midnight, Oct. 31, when the current five-year pact ends. The members of the...

... Talks continue between Kroger and grocery workers of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.(Labor News ...)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... ... Talks continue between Kroger and grocery workers of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky, but the picket lines have not heard much about any progress being made... NewsandSentinel.com (Oct. 30).

... Negotiators for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655 and the St. Louis, MO-areas three largest supermarket chains reached a tentative agreement.(Labor News ...)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... ... Negotiators for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 655 and the St. Louis, MO-areas three largest supermarket chains reached a tentative agreement to end St. Louis' first major grocery strike and lock-out... STLToday.com (Oct....

In the courts ...(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... ... Eateries Inc. announced the receipt of its $8,584,932 judgment from the J.R. Simplot Co. The payment was in addition to the previous payment of $516,563 for legal fees and costs, bringing the total judgment and fees paid to Edmond, OK-based...

Food recalls reported.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... Royal Baltic LTD., Brooklyn, NY, is recalling approximately 4,500-lbs. of Imperial-European Style Salmon, 1,620 jars of 16-oz. Herring in Oil in glass jars and 454 packages of Salmon, Sea Bass 8-oz., variety pack. The products were distributed...

Referendum on regulating & handling of milk.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... REFERENDUM ON REGULATING & HANDLING OF MILK: USDA issued a notice ordering that a referendum be conducted to determine whether producers favor issuance of the order regulating the handling of milk in the Western marketing area, as amended in...

Hearing on milk orders.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... HEARING ON MILK ORDERS: USDA announced the reconvening of the hearing which began on Sept. 23, 2003, in Tempe, AZ, to consider proposals to amend the producer-handler provisions of the Arizona-Las Vegas and Pacific Northwest orders and to...

Honey from China.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... HONEY FROM CHINA: On June 2, 2003, the Department of Commerce published the preliminary results of the new shipper review of the antidumping duty order on honey from the People's Republic of China. The review covers one producer/exporter, Wuhan...

Processed fruit & vegetable inspection fees.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... PROCESSED FRUIT & VEGETABLE INSPECTION FEES: USDA issued a final rule, effective Oct. 31, 2003, that revises the regulations governing inspection and certification for processed fruits, vegetables, and processed products made from them by a fee...

Comment period on yogurt & cultured milk extended.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... COMMENT PERIOD ON YOGURT & CULTURED MILK EXTENDED: FDA is reopening for 90 days the comment period for an advance notice of proposed rulemaking that announced the filing of a petition asking the agency to revoke the standards of identity for...

Public meetings to discuss two sections of bioterrorism act.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... PUBLIC MEETINGS TO DISCUSS TWO SECTIONS OF BIOTERRORISM ACT: FDA announced a series of domestic meetings to discuss the interim final regulations, issued on Oct. 10, 2003, to implement two sections of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism...

Lamb reporting definitions.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... LAMB REPORTING DEFINITIONS: USDA proposed a rule that would amend the Livestock Mandatory Reporting regulations to modify the requirements for the submission of information on domestic and imported boxed lamb cuts sales. This rule would amend...

Meeting of national advisory committee on meat & poultry inspection.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... MEETING OF NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MEAT & POULTRY INSPECTION: The National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection will hold a public meeting in Washington, DC on Nov. 5-6, 2003 to review and discuss the following issues:...

Meeting on risk analysis.(Noted In The Federal Register)(Food Safety and Inspection Service to hold a public meeting)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... MEETING ON RISK ANALYSIS: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will hold a public meeting on risk analysis on Nov. 13, 2003 in Washington, DC. The meeting will provide a forum for experts from government, academia, industry and...

Produce.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... SELECTED U.S. EXPORTS OF FRESH FRUITS JAN. 1-SEPT. 1, 2003 (Source: Bureau of Census) % Chge. Pounds ...

Canned vegetables.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... USDA OFFERS TO BUY CANNED DRIED BEANS * Deliveries between Jan. 1, 2004-May 31, 2004 * Case Size Cases Baby Lima Beans 6/10 7,776 Black Turtle Beans 6/10 ...

Tomato products.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... USDA OFFERS TO BUY TOMATO PRODUCTS * Deliveries between Jan. 1, 2004-Mar. 31, 2004 * Case Size Cases Spaghetti Sauce, Meatless ...

Frozen vegetables.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... SELECTED FROZEN VEGETABLE EXPORTS JAN. 1-SEPT. 1 (Source: Bureau of Census) 1,000 Pounds: 2003 2002 % Chge. Peas ...

Canned fruits.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... SELECTED U.S. EXPORTS OF CANNED FRUIT JAN. 1-SEPT. 1, 2003 (Source: Bureau of Census) Pounds Volume 2003 2002 % Chge....

Processed fish.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... USDA HAS PURCHASED--USDA has purchased 147,600 (12-oz.) cases of canned chunk light tuna at a delivered cost of approximately $3.6 million for distribution to Federal food and nutrition programs. The entire bid was awarded to Tri-Union Seafoods...

Dried vegetables.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... USDA OFFERS TO BUY DRY BEANS Container Product Size Cases Blackeye Beans }1 12/2 lb. bag 36,960 Baby Lima Beans }1 12/2 lb. bag 26,880...

Dried fruits.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... U.S. EXPORTS OF DRIED FRUITS JAN. 1 - SEPT.1, 2003 (Source: Bureau of Census) In Pounds 2003 2002 % Chge. Dates ...

Nuts & nutmeats.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... U.S. IMPORTS OF NUTS AND NUTMEATS, JAN. 1 - SEPT. 1, 2003 (Source: Bureau of Census) Pounds: 2003 2002 % Chge. Brazil Nuts, Shelled...

Frozen fruits.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... SELECTED U.S. FROZEN FRUIT EXPORTS JAN. 1 - SEPT. 1, 2003 (Source: Bureau of Census) % Chge. Pounds ...

Juices & concentrates.(Markets.)
November 3, 2003... FCOJ--As of Sept. 1, the U.S. imported 27.1 million gallons of FCOJ, 65 Brix, close to double the amount imported in the same time in 2002. The majority of the imports came from Brazil. Florida Citrus Mutual asked the Florida Citrus...

Butter.(Markets)(cents per pound, Grade AA)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 3, 2003... BUTTER MARKET, OCT. 31 (Source: USDA) Cents Per Pound: 10/31/03 10/24/03 Chge. Grade AA 119.25 118.75 +0.50

Cheese.(Markets)(cents per pound, cheddar cheese)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 3, 2003... CHEDDAR CHEESE MARKET OCT. 31 Cents Per Pound: 10/31/03 Chge.Fr.Last Wk. Barrels 145.75 -7.75 Blocks 148.50 -11.50

Eggs.(Markets)(prices)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 3, 2003... EGG PRICES TO RETAILERS Oct. 31 (Source: USDA) This Week Ending Chng. From Wk. Cents per dozen: Week...

Chicken.(Markets)(Illustration)
November 3, 2003... PRELIMINARY BROILER PRICES FOR DELIVERY THE WEEK OF NOV. 3 Cents Per Pound: This Week Last Week Chicago 53.00-56.00 53.00-56.00 Cleveland Too Few Too Few Detroit...

Futures prices.(Markets.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2003... FUTURES PRICES (Source: Wall Street Journal) Cash Dec. Jan. 04 As of Oct. 30, 2003: Price Futures Futures Corn, bu. $2.34 $2.48 2.5275(Mar....

Commodity prices.(Markets)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 3, 2003... COMMODITY PRICES (Source: Wall Street Journal) Week Week % Chge. Ended Ended Last Oct. 30 ...

Ahold to divest Spanish operations, try to recover value of foodservice division.
November 10, 2003... Ahold NV will undertake a new financing plan and strategy, called "The Road To Recovery," which is aimed at rebuilding the value of the company over the next three years. The company will try to maximize cash flow and reduce debt and, in...

Food Institute seminar clarifies new Bioterrorism rules--"M-P-P-H.
November 10, 2003... "M-P-P-H--If you manufacture/process, pack or hold food (under FDA's jurisdiction) for human or animal consumption in the U.S, you must register your facility," under FDA's Registration Rule, was the phrase reiterated over and over again by...

Safeway will try to salvage Dominick's.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... After a yearlong effort, Safeway Inc. decided not to sell Dominick's, its Chicago-area grocer, at a loss and will instead try to salvage the chain. Dominick's registered sales of $1.5 billion through the first nine months of Safeway's current...

Consumers are noticing availability of nutritious foods at restaurants.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... Seventy-one percent of consumers agree that there are now more nutritious foods available in restaurants than there were five years ago, according to research from the National Restaurant Association (NRA). Eighty-eight percent of all adults...

Americans spend an average of $95 per week on groceries.
November 10, 2003... Americans spend an average of $95 per week on groceries, an amount that increases to $105 for the 35 to 54 age group due to the likelihood of having children in the household, according to Mintel. One-person households spend an average of $63...

Number of portable packaged foods surging.
November 10, 2003... Manufacturers introduced 145 convenience products so far this year--nearly as many as were unveiled in the previous three years combined, according to Mintel International Group. "It's definitely a growing trend in the U.S.," said Lynn...

Barriers to healthy eating cited in new study.
November 10, 2003... Convenience, cost and confusion are among the primary roadblocks to healthy eating revealed a new study by the Food Marketing Institute and PREVENTION magazine, Shopping for Health 2003: Whole Health for the Whole Family. While 87% of consumers...

Grocery store focuses on low-carb foods.(Andrew Goldstein's Low Carb Crazy.)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... In North Carolina, a low-carbohydrate menu at Andrew Goldstein's Good Ol' Days restaurant in June soon spawned a 1,700-sq. ft. grocery store, Low-Carb Crazy, which opened a few weeks ago. Goldstein is now in talks with potential partners to...

Pabst Brewing Co. San Antonio, TX- hired Merrill Lynch to run an auction for a possible sale of the business.(Beverage Briefs)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... * Pabst Brewing Co. San Antonio, TX- hired Merrill Lynch to run an auction for a possible sale of the business. The investment bank already began sending out an offering memorandum to potential buyers. The nation's fourth-largest beer marketer...

Cadbury Schweppes.(Beverage Briefs)(may demerge its American soft drinks business)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... * Cadbury Schweppes raised the possibility of demerging its American soft drinks business once the company has completed an overhaul of the operation, which includes the Dr Pepper, 7 Up, Snapple and Mott's brands. The company's chief executive...

Mac Farms Inc.(Beverage Briefs)(projects revenue of $1.8 million )(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... * Mac Farms Inc., the Burlington, MA-based carbonated milk producer, projects revenue of $1.8 million for the current fiscal year, which ends next July and $4 million in the next fiscal year... The New York Times on the Web (Nov. 2)

Hi-Country Foods Corp.(Beverage Briefs)(has been forced into bankruptcy court )(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... * Hi-Country Foods Corp. has been forced into bankruptcy court with more than $5 million in debt. Three creditors filed a petition in a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in October seeking to liquidate the Selah, WA-based juice maker... The Yakima...

Owens-Illinois Inc.(Beverage Briefs)(to close beer bottle plant in Milton, Ontario)(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... * Owens-Illinois Inc. will close a beer bottle plant in Milton, Ontario that employs 150 on Nov. 12. Production will be shifted to other facilities in North America. Other plants are also under review. O-I, which produces bottles for brewers,...

V-Net Beverage Inc. completed negotiations with No Fear Inc., producers of the "No Fear" extreme clothing line, to bottle "Unleashed," the company's newest entry into the enhanced beverage market.(Brief Article)
November 10, 2003... * V-Net Beverage Inc. completed negotiations with No Fear Inc., producers of the "No Fear" extreme clothing line, to bottle "Unleashed," the company's newest entry into the enhanced beverage market. V-Net will produce an estimated minimum of...